New Year, New You. 11 Tips for a New You

As the New Year begins, many sites are talking about tips for a new you. In today’s post, I am sharing tips that have worked for me in the past or new ones that I started doing this year that are working out nicely thus far. Scheduling Me time on the calendar for myself is new, and thus far, 5 days into 2018 is working out beautifully.

11 Tips for a New You

1. Pick out your top five goals for 2018

Write your five goals down in order of priority. Do not set yourself up for failure with this. I like to take it in baby steps personally. If you read my Goal’s for 2018 post, you will notice I have goals that have to be completed for January along with some major ones to accomplish this year.

I pick four from my January list, and one from my year-long list. If the goal involves me to make an appointment, I make the appointment and put a new January goal in its place. As I get the must be done by the end of Jan list complete, I add another from my year-long goals in its place.

My top five currently:

1. Go through subscriptions we haven’t used the past 6 months.
2. Review my will (appointment made)
2. Cash in my coin jug
3. Review Investments (appointment made)
3. Revisit auto and homeowners insurance policies
4. Review Retirement plans (appointment made)
4. Revisit my credit card, check for points and APR. Can I get better at another company?
5. Guest room makeover completion.

I haven’t added things like blog posts, read 30 books, etc. To me, those are a given, and I will be holding myself accountable as the year progresses. I have the top 10 books I want to read already in my reading nook ready to go, and I have planned out my editorial calendar for the year for the blog already just in case I find myself not sure what I want to write about. Love that new Me time I scheduled for myself!

2. Keep going, even if you mess up.

Don’t let that stumbling block set the precedence for the rest of the year. You tripped; shake it off and keep going. As humans, we are not perfect no matter how hard we try to be. Remember, you can do it!

The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection – George Orwell Click To Tweet

3. Pick rewards for each milestone you accomplish

Rewards are for important goals you have accomplished. If your goal is to stop smoking, and you have done it, take some of that money you saved on your cigarettes and either treat yourself to a spa day or buy something cute for yourself. If you lost 10 lbs, buy a cute new wardrobe piece. You get the picture. I believe in rewards for major accomplishments for my children, I don’t see why as a parent, you can’t reward yourself for an achievement too.

4. Hold yourself accountable.

Pick a friend or family member you can discuss your progress or mess-ups with, knowing they won’t judge you. Mark a completion date on your personal ME calendar to give yourself a deadline.

5. De-clutter your life, organization in your home will also help organize and destress your mind.

Donate your items to a charity of your choice. You will help someone else, and it is a reminder that you are an awesome sauced person. You can make a difference.
To me, de-cluttering your life is also about organizing your time. You need to get in time to get things done and time for yourself.

6. Spend more time outdoors.

It is incredible how just going outside and enjoying some sunlight can help you destress, rebalance and feel good as a whole. Not to mention, that natural source of Vitamin D can really help your body.

7. Learn to relax. It is okay to take time for yourself to unwind.

Take this time to read a book, take up journeling or writing. Take a long bath with DIY Bath soaks and candles. Do what you need to do to relax your mind and body.

8. Learn something new.

Give yourself permission to take a class! One of my goals this year was to take a cake-decorating course and invite my daughter in law to go with me. We are both registered to be notified as soon as Micheals starts them for the year. In the meantime, we are looking at the schedule for other classes we would like to take together.

9. Make morning and evening routines that actually work for you.

Think about ways to make your life easier while still being productive. I have mine written out on my google calendar that sinks to both my phone and my Thunderbird email program. I remembered to add ME time in this year! I am enjoying the time I have budgeted for myself. As a mom, it is easy to feel guilty taking some time out for yourself. You will get over it. You deserve time to yourself.

Note May 15, 2018: My morning and evening routines have changed since I originally wrote this post and has been edited to reflect the new changes.  You can read about how I came up with my new routines in the post 4 Steps to Create a Morning Routine That Works

This is how my morning looks:

• 5 am: Wake up Monday – Friday
• Heat up my fire tea, and sip it while reading a book.
• 6 am: Breakfast with the family and breakfast cleanup.
• 7 am – 8 am: Toss in a load of laundry. Work out 30 minutes, Toss laundry into the dryer before getting into the shower. Meditate in the shower for 10 minutes.
• 8 am – 9 am: Read news and blogs for 20 minutes, 20-minute writing sprint, and a few moments in my bullet journal. I also fold and put away laundry, wipe down washer and dryer, which takes me less than 10 minutes.
• 9 am: Time to work

This is how my evenings look:

• 5 pm – 8 pm: Cook supper, eat together as a family, evening chores. Watch a TV show together.
• 8 pm to 8:15: Plan for tomorrow, write down day’s expenses.
• 8:15 – 10 pm: Personal Time I like to watch a Netflix show or a show I recorded on DVR, catch up on YouTube, and spend one on one time with my honey. I also use this time to write or journal. Technology is off at 9:30 pm every night. I read from 9:30 to 10 pm and set out clothing for the next day.
• 10 pm – 10-minute meditation and deep breathing exercise before sleep.

10. Plan out the next day the night before.

Revisit your calendar; add new things in that have come up. I plan my schedule for the week on Sunday nights, each night I revisit it, add items in that have just come up, and write everything down in my bullet journal. Remember to write yourself in when you are planning your day.

11. Accept yourself for the beautiful person you are.

It doesn’t matter if you have a few pounds to lose, or if you are like me, hate your nose. Those are outside things, some you can change, and some you cannot. It is what is on the inside that makes you who you are. You are beautiful; remember that.

What do you think of these 11 Tips for a New You?

Let me know what tips for a new you, or a more productive you where you love yourself and take time out for yourself that you have in the comments below. Have an opinion on my tips? Let me know that too.